BBC America today announced the acquisition of the eight part ensemble drama Broadchurch starring David Tennant, Olivia Colman, Vicky McClure and Arthur Darvill. The series explores what happens to a small community when it suddenly becomes the focus of a major murder investigation and is subjected to the full glare of the media spotlight. Broadchurch will premiere as part of BBC AMERICA's groundbreaking drama block, Dramaville, in 2013.

From the producers of The Hour, MI-5 and Life on Mars, Kudos Film and Television, Broadchurch is written and created by Chris Chibnall (Torchwood, Law & Order: UK, Doctor Who) with Richard Stokes! (Silk, Law & Order: UK, Torchwood) as producer and Jane Featherstone (The Hour, Life on Mars, Law & Order: UK) and Chibnall as executive producers. James Strong (United, Downton Abbey, Silent Witness, Doctor Who) has directed the first two episodes and episodes seven and eight of the series.

The drama centers on the investigation into the murder of a young boy in a British seaside town. Leading the investigation are two detectives, strong yet compassionate local Detective Sergeant, Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman), and newcomer Detective Inspector Alec Hardy (David Tennant), a by-the-book investigator and just! appointed as Ellie's boss. By circumstance they are partnered to solve the murder, keeping the newspapers from derailing the investigation and trying to prevent the crime impacting tourism at the beach where the boy was murdered. The cast also includes Jodie Whittaker as Beth, Andrew Buchan as Mark, Will Mellor playing Stephen Turner and sees Arthur Darvill as the town priest Paul Coates.

"Broadchurch focuses on a small British community which f! inds itself at the eye of a storm. In the wake of one boy's death, the residents of Broadchurch come under scrutiny and suspicion," said Chris. "It's a story of scale and intimacy, as the lives of the characters are laid bare," he added.

"We're proud to have cast an outstanding array of Britain's finest performers to appear in Broadchurch," said executive producer Jane Featherstone. "The drama is a snapshot of modern Britain. Its community represents a microcosm of life as we know it with the character of Ellie part of the fabric of Broad! church. She's lived amidst the people in this coastal town all her life so when the fabric begins to tear it's Ellie who will feel the impact the hardest," added Jane.

BBC AMERICA delivers U.S. audiences high-quality, innovative and intelligent programming. Established in 1998, it has been the launch pad for talent embraced by American mainstream pop culture, including Ricky Gervais, Gordon Ramsay, Graham Norton, and successful programming formats including ground-breaking non-scripted television like Top Gear and top-rated science-fiction like Doctor Who. Owned by BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, BBC America has attracted both critical acclaim and major awards including an Emmy(R), five Golden Globes(R) and ten Peabody Awards. The channel attracts one of cable's most affluent and educated audiences and is available on cable and satellite TV in more than 80.4 million homes. It broadcasts in both standard and high-definition, with content available On Demand across all major digital platforms. Online, www.bbcamerica.com is the place to go to dig deeper into pop culture with a British twist.